Past and Present
by Arturia Polaris
Summary: This is an attempt at an extended epilogue from where the Anime left. I always thought that the story could have gone on, even if a little bit. Short story with at most 3 chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Tari Tari: "Past and Present"**

**Chapter 1: Extended Epilogue**

**Author's notes: This short story is going to attempt to add a bit more the ending of Tari Tari, which I loved. I loved it, but I wish I had more, as there was limitless potential in there. It'll also try to link the dots of what happened between Sawa and Taichi, as well as having the rest of the group in it, as Tari Tari isn't a romance anime, but a slice of life.**

**Without further wording, I hope you enjoy the story!**

Sawa enjoyed the light breeze that came in from the opened window as she finished singing with the rest of the group on video. It still only felt like yesterday when she got here to the United States on her trip to become a Horse Jockey. She undid her twintails and let her hair loose, letting it dance with the coming breeze.

"Sawa, just so you know, Tanaka is as red as-"

"Quiet you!" As the man in question came in and grabbed Konatsu's mouth before she could finish.

Sawa let out a small laugh. She really did miss being there with everyone...

"Maybe I really should have gone back..." She sighed. Her father had actually told her to come back several times on the phone, she found that endearing, but she wouldn't come back empty handed. Living in the States was very hard, even if she was doing what she really wanted.

The video went on as they all took turns to send Sawa a personal message. First up was Wakana

"Sawa! I hope you're really doing well in the United States! We're taking care of Sabure making sure it doesn't feel alone!" A smile drew itself on Sawa, as Wakana kept talking "... And I finished writing a new song!"

She made a mental note to ask her about it later.

Wien's turn came, or rather he took a step forward.

"Okita-san, I went to see Sabure the other day with Taichi and it kicked me" He proudly showed the camera his arm where it had been evident he'd gotten a pretty bad blow. "It's fine anyways, It was fun."

"Man I thought I had told them to stay away from Sabure's right leg..." Sawa looked out her window recalling the moment she-

"Sawa did tell us to not get near Sabure's right leg, didn't s-" Taichi suddenly turned around as though he had forgotten something.

"Wait, she did?" Konatsu chipped in "What, what? I never heard of this" She went around to face Taichi, who turned around yet again.

"Yeah, pay more attention... Airhead" He answered avoiding the petite's gaze

Sawa's mom was heard laughing. "Yeah, of course she'd laugh..." she thought

"Konatsu, anything to say to Sawa?"

"Yes! Sawa!" Konatsu came very close to the camera "I'm working together with your mom for the whole town to keep holding the Shirosai, despite... you know, what happened" Konatsu's eyes lost a bit of gleam, if only for a second "But you know, we're all going to university next year. So..." She looked around as if trying to remember what she had planned on saying. "Oh! We're taking care of Tanaka for you, don't worry!" Konatsu smiled mischievously and ran out of camera (or was forced out of camera by an infuriated Taichi, one or the other)

Sawa facepalmed. Was it that obvious?

"H-hey! Don't go assuming things!" Taichi was pushed in front of the camera by the two girls, as her mother laughed.

"So come on, what have you got to say to my daughter?" A slight menace in her voice. Of course, only Sawa knew what it meant.

Taichi scratched the back of his head as Sawa looked at the laptop screen with a tiny nervous smile, as Konatsu and Wakana kept laughing like small girls. Honestly, you'd think they are 10 years old.

"Hey... I just wanted to say... that we're really missing you here." His face trying to keep straight. "We'll wait for you to come back, so don't come back empty handed!"

"But, you know, Tanaka; Sawa might come back with an american boyfriend" Her mother quipped. Sawa turned scarlet

"No, no, no." Sawa waved her hands as though someone was watching her. "Definitely not happening"

Taichi simply looked flabbergasted for a second before quickly getting off camera as the rest of the group laughed. Sawa even laughed at Taichi's expression.

The camera then turned around to her dad.

"Sawa, you know... I may keep telling you to keep coming back, but it's only because" he looked away for a second "I really care about you. I only want the best for you"

An "Aww" was heard from Konatsu. She really was one to express herself.

The camera then turned to her mother, Seeing her actually made her feel a bit better. She was still very alone in a new land.

Sawa rummaged through the box that got to her home that morning. The first thing was of course the CD with the video they sent her but there were a lot more things. A stuffed horse doll which she found lovely with a letter pinned to the back.

"_Sawa, I put this doll in your seat at the graduation. You were always with us. Konatsu :)"_

She could already picture the scene of the doll sitting in the graduation as a small tear came down her cheek. She didn't have to imagine much, because Konatsu had also sent her a picture of that moment. Sawa pinned the picture on the wall together with a bunch of other pictures, those she had taken to remember them all by.

She found a small CD case with a piece of paper written in it.

"_Sawa, this is my song. Hope you like it"_

Of course, she knew who had written it. She played it on her laptop, so she could listen to it as she went through the other things. A soft piano tune started playing... soothing and you could say that a bit romantic.

Wien had sent her a small notebook filled with horse articles on newspapers and horse pictures. They had all been cut and pasted by hand... With a smile she thanked him mentally. He had also sent her a letter.

"_Okita-san, I made this with articles I cut from the same newspapers I kept taking articles from to send to Jan back in Austria. I actually got a letter from him, and I think I might be able to see him again. Hope you like it"_

Sawa remembered how Wien had been heartbroken by the fact that Jan had moved, and felt sincerely happy for them to be able to find each other.

Her mother had sent her a few things she had forgotten or couldn't fit during the first trip, including her photo album from school. It was actually filled with pictures of the whole group, and stuff from the Shirosai she couldn't see yet.

Wakana's song playing in the background made the whole moment seem a bit more melancholic than it was, but Sawa liked that.

At the very bottom of the box, a badminton racquet with a small letter.

_"I thought you could have something to remember me by as well..."_

She grabbed the racquet smiling fondly, a tint of red on her cheeks. She wondered if Taichi had actually used this as it was pristine. She swang it around a bit and then noticed something etched on the handle.

"_To Sawa"_

Her heart actually skipped a beat, before a smile plastered on her face.

After she was done with tidying the place up, she pinned pictures of the group on the wall by her desk so they could be in plain view. Her mother had actually sent her a picture with Taichi circled in a heart, she quickly stuffed it at the very back of the drawer, vowing to get back at her. The badminton racquet now found a place next to her bed.

She looked at the time and realized that she had only five minutes left before her morning routine started, so she closed her laptop, quickly got changed, and got went on with renewed strength.

By the time she got back home, the sun was on it's last legs. She dropped her bag and let herself fall onto the bed. The bed bounced back and a case fell on her head.

"Ouch!"

A CD case... she had no idea where it had come from. Maybe it had fallen out of the box and she hadn't seen her that morning. It could have been that.

"_To Sawa"_

She grabbed the CD inside and played it.

Taichi's face appeared, a little flustered. She found that very cute, how he could get so flustered when put in the center of attention.

"H-hey, It's me"

Sawa rolled her eyes.

"If you're seeing this then you probably have seen the racquet I sent you... It's from the national tournament when you guys cheered me on..." He sighed "I thought you could have it, as it is my favorite racquet"

He tried to force a smile even though he was probably cracking from the nerves

"Just... take good care of it. I would have said it in the other video but Konatsu wouldn't have me hear the end of it"

Sawa laughed as it was probably true.

"I actually went to see Sabure the other day again, he's also missing you. But he'll manage, he's a tough one"

The video actually cut and another scene replaced it. She knew that scene well, the stables where Sabure was kept.

"Hey there, Sabure" Taichi's voice came

The horse looked up and made a small grunt

"Not in a good mood huh?" A hint of dissapointment in his voice "Smile for the camera, this is for Sawa"

The camera then panned around a bit and the camera slowed down for a second on the wall before coming back to the horse.

"So hey Sabure, remember when Sawa and I came by?"

Sawa choked on saliva. She prayed that her mother had not seen this video... chances were slim though, knowing her.

The video then cut back to Taichi staring at the camera at his house.

"Yeah, Sabure wasn't very happy to see me I guess. He's been a bit cranky lately, he even kicked Wien, but you know that already"

Sawa sighed. She knew why the horse would be a bit cranky, but nothing she could really do.

"I'm running out of time, so I'll say that I hope you're having fun in America... and that we're waiting for you back in Japan... All of us"

The video ended with Taichi giving her the first carefree smile he'd seen from him since she left. Sawa laid back on her chair and stared at the ceiling, sighing heavily. She tried to not think about Japan much, because she knew that if she started thinking she'd get sad at leaving them all behind... but she really couldn't go back now, nor did she want to.

"I'll go back some day anyways" She shook the uneasy feeling off, as she went back to the matter at hand.

Her mother had obviously seen the video, so that explained the picture with Taichi circled. "She's such a girl..."

Sawa planned on writing an e-mail to her mother telling her she got everything, but she'd beaten her to the punch.

"_Sawa, I see that the package arrived today. Hope you had as much fun going through it as I did!"_

She slammed her laptop shut. She was so going to kill her when she got her hands on her.

"She doesn't even try to hide it..." She laughed as she punched the air.

Opening her laptop again, Sawa wrote a quick response, asking how everyone was doing. Her mother answered immediately, she had not expected that.

"_Everyone is doing fine, Konatsu keeps dropping by with Sakai. Your boyfriend came in a bunch of times already to check on Sabure. What the hell happened in there?"_

Once again, she vowed she'd have revenge on her mother someday.

**Author's Notes: Hope you guys enjoyed reading my first chapter! I really enjoyed writing this for a reason, and in fact, it's 3:30 AM, I've got college tomorrow and I'm not regretting writing this one bit.**

**Keep in mind that this is a short story, It'll be at most 3 chapters of about the same length.**

**To those of you from Animesuki, welcome! To those of you who come from other places, welcome as well!**

**Niker (AKA: Arturia Polaris)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Tari Tari: "Past and Present"**

**Chapter 2: "Before you go..."**

**Author's notes: We are now going back in time. A few days after Sawa announced that she was leaving Japan to try and become a horse jockey, a professional one.**

**-.-.-.-.-.-.-**

Classes had been going on regardless of the huge construction already starting. 3rd years had to keep working hard if they intended to at least have a chance at university. Even Sawa, who wasn't going to enter university was hard at work. She had to try and learn English in record time and even though she wouldn't have to finish the curriculum nor go to school anymore, (she would be given enough points to graduate, despite leaving) she found herself going to school every day.

She just couldn't stop going, not these last few days. She had to make sure she would get as many memories as possible because in the coming future she wouldn't even be able to see them. All of them. Konatsu, Wakana, Wien, Taichi... the other classmates, the teachers... even her family. It was a lot to leave behind just for the sake of her dream. She doubted herself countless times, but she wasn't allowed to show that. Not when everyone else was so supportive.

The bell rang.

"Hey Sawa-"

At the call of her name, she turned around only to be poked in the cheek with a pen. With a small laugh Konatsu soon found her book being thrown at her.

"How old are you anyways!?" Sawa tried to erase the blue mark on her cheek but it wouldn't come off, no matter what she tried. "God, you even did it with a pen..." Sawa wailed. There was a reason she wanted to look absolutely perfect today of all days.

As students moved in and out of the class, Wien and Tanaka came over to where the three girls were talking. Sawa got nudged by Konatsu. She hissed back.

"Yeah, Wien and I got a few disciplinary pointers" Taichi scratched his head. Annoying tick of his... but kinda cute if you asked Sawa.

"So did those disciplinary pointers include doing THIS?!" Konatsu pointed at a notebook. Inside it were about 100 handwritten letters of apologies to be given out to the employees working in the new construction. "And I don't even remember that we bothered them. This is just that chairman being a jerk" She sighed as she closed her notebook.

Wakana opened up her notebook and showed about 50 posters (also hand-written). "I had to make these and I'll have to go around town posting them apologizing for the inconviniences... And they said they'd check to see if the handwriting is the same" She joined Konatsu in sighing.

"Well... at least it was worth it." Wien chipped in. "I have a lot of things that I'll remember from that day, I'll tell my family about it of course"

"My sister really enjoyed it, she even filmed it and I have it all in my computer now... sadly" Taichi looked at Sawa for just a second longer than necessary.

"My brother said that he wouldn't come and see it, but of course he came. He's so silly, not wanting to show his love to his older sister" Konatsu went over dramatic on her voice as always, and her hands waving around also helped.

"Oh my dearest sister, I'm sorry for being so shy!" Sawa went along and played, just like she always did. As they hugged in an overly exagerated fashion.

Sawa then rocked her desk with her leg threw her notebook to the floor, opening on a small letter also handwritten.

Wakana was the only one who noticed the letter and started reading out loud.

"Dear Taichi, I'm sorr-"

Sawa shouted and immediately grabbed the notebook with a look screaming -I'll murder you- to Wakana who immediately went red and looked at Taichi who had not heard, and then back at the twintailed girl. Realization dawning on her.

Konatsu still had no idea what was going on. And that was probably for the better the little meddler would go around the world to have a hand in this. Sawa didn't want anyone to interfere.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Classes came to an end, and like every day the group of five walked out of school. Wakana had tried to talk to her privately but Sawa refused to give her any time. Her mind was set on how to do this, and-

"Hey Sawa, let's all go to your house"

"What!? No I have stuff to do"

"Konatsu, you shouldn't invite yourself to others' house like that..." Wakana always the voice of reason.

"Every time we go to Sawa's house we end up doing something crazy anyways..." Taichi let a comment slip, to which Sawa gave him a joking punch. "Ouch"

"Remember the Gambarider thing?"

"I sure had fun..." Wien lost himself in remembering.

"So? Come on, Sawa... for old time's sake"

"You make it sound like we're old" She retorted.

Everyone laughed at this. Sawa had initially refused but she thought that it'd be a good way to put her plan into motion. Maybe Konatsu could help her somehow.

"We should buy cake this time" Wien said remembering Sawa's mother bought cake last time.

"That was only because she needed us for something"

Before they knew it, the sky had turned orange and they had stopped walking, just talking about their time together.

"Is it really all going to end like this? All of us going separate ways?" Sawa was looking at the horizon while letting her hair loose.

"It really does seem like a dream. And how we ended up being like this" Taichi sat down on the guard-rail.

"So? Are we going to my house? We could do an all nighter" Sawa finally offered.

"I'm not sure about an all nighter, but I could go over for a little bit" Wien sadly commented.

"Oooh, it's going to be Taichi alone with three girls then?" Konatsu nudged Sawa, and Wakana joined in.

"D-Don't be stupid, I'll leave if I have to"

"Oh he wouldn't even hurt a fly" Wakana slyly commented. Very out of her usual self.

"Not without his badminton racquet not."

The group set way for her house. She had told her parents, who didn't object. They wouldn't really object if it was the group that made her last year so memorable. Or at least part of the year.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Wien, as he had anticipated, had left pretty early. Taichi was about to leave but he was asked by Sawa's mother to stay a little longer.

The group had talked about everything there really was. A few emotional moments between the three girls in which Taichi wanted the earth to split up and eat him for being so out of place. He eventually got too uncomfortable and left for the stables. At least with Sabure he could share some silence.

Sawa and Konatsu. They had been friends for most of their time at school, and their relationship was that of life partners. Konatsu of course never really showed that she was a strong girl, but she actually was very composed. To see her literally on the verge of tears coming into Sawa's house for one of the last times was... touching.

Wakana of course also was on the cliff between crying and remaining composed, but seeing Sawa start crying before the other two got her.

The three were apologizing for everything they had done and not spending more time with each other before Sawa apologized for even wanting to leave and told the other two that she would try to come back as soon as possible, that she would work extremely hard so she could come back to Japan and spend more time with the rest of them.

It was a moment that Sawa wouldn't forget in a long time, as well as the other moments she lived with the group.

Eventually and after a while, Sawa bid her farewells to the two girls and watched the two go with a sad smile on her face. A single tear streamed down her face as she realized that these would be her last memories of the whole group...

Wait.

Realization hit her like a truck. Taichi was probably still with Sabure.

She rushed back into the house and skidded to a halt to ask her mother if she'd seen Taichi leave.

"Huh? Didn't he leave already?"

Sawa couldn't believe that he'd leave without saying goodbye to her... well, it's not like he couldn't, they didn't have any kind of relationship, but-

"God, stop thinking" she slapped herself and walked to the stables which were very quiet at night. Sabure was probably sleeping already, so she only took a peek.

"..."

She had to peek again to take in the image of what was going on. Taichi was leaning on the wall scratching Sabure's nose and the horse looked like it had warmed up to Taichi. Granted, it was a docile horse, but for it to like a boy...

"Hey, you're having fun there?" She tried to come up with the most casual of greetings. It might have come as forced but there was nothing she could do after she said it.

"Oh hey Sawa. I'm just talking to Sabure here. He's really nice today isn't he?"

"It's probably because it's in his house" Sawa went and scratched the horse's head, their arms might have touched a bit.

Taichi pulled back a bit red faced, Sawa didn't care. This was just the proof she needed. The proof she wanted.

An awkward silence settled. Sawa might have wanted that piece of proof, but she had no idea what to do with it. And her emotions were all over the place a few minutes ago with the girls, so she wasn't exactly in the best of mental states to come up with flirty answers.

And then the unexpected variable came into play. Taichi.

"Say, Sawa..." His eyes sparkled with... something she couldn't quite say "Don't you wish you could sometimes do things without regretting them?"

"W-What, you mean like going abroad to study?"

"Yeah, that's one way of putting it. But I wasn't really going that far."

Sawa took a second before realizing what he was going to and her legs might have failed her a bit, so to make it seem natural, she slided down the wall all the way to the floor. Sighing, she answered

"Oh, plenty of times. Every day I go to school I regret not doing something, like not eating that piece of toast..."

"I'm not talking about that I'm-"

"Yes, I know what you're talking about"

Silence.

Sawa sighed. This was not going at all how she expected. Taichi had made her nervous and her whole plan had gone to hell. She stood up and looked at Taichi straight in the eye.

He closed the distance, and Sawa immediately tried to back away, but the wall stopped her.

She put out her arms to stop him while looking to the floor. She was acting irrationally. She knew that.

"I-"

He tried to talk but she put her finger in his lips to stop him from saying that.

"Don't make this any harder for me" Sawa pleaded, finally looking at him. "I'm having a hard time as it is trying to leave everyone behind... and this... would just make it harder."

Taichi's eyes dropped. She knew that it was going to hurt... and to be honest she didn't like it one bit. But even though she didn't like it, it would be painful to say goodbye if something happened.

"So... I'll just take this as a way to remember you by"

Sawa lunged at his lips.

It was over before they both knew it, as Sawa backed away instantly, and rushed out saying "See you tomorrow!"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

**Author's Notes: Thanks for reading through chapter 2. Hope you enjoyed it and as always, remember to say hi in a review/comment and tell me what you liked, didn't like.**

**Arturia Polaris (EX: Niker)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Tari Tari: "Past and Present"**

**Chapter 3: "Let's smile, and cry, and try to sing, and..."**

**Author's;Notes: I don't really have that much to say about this chapter other than I hope you'll like it. I'm getting lots of wonderful reviews about this work and I honestly didn't expect it to be so well recieved, what with Tari Tari not being the most popular show around... but I'm glad you like it.**

**Anyways, enjoy your chapter 3!**

**-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-**

Sawa threw her phone in her bag. The last thing she needed was her mother constantly reminding her of what needed to be done. It rang again.

"Mom, I told you I know I hav- Yeah... Yeah. Ok, bye"

Sheesh, she really ticked her off sometimes. She felt a hand on her shoulder, offering what little help she needed. Konatsu was really there for her, even in the toughest of times. The night they all shared on Sawa's house was still fresh in their memories, even though it was two weeks ago and it was almost time for Sawa to leave... for good.

"Excuse me" Sawa opened the sliding door and was greeted by the afternoon atmosphere of the teacher's room, the orange tinted whiteboard bearing the several appointments for teachers... and a small note said "Okita Sawa, picking up everything". A sad smile was on the face of the principal as he realized that Sawa was the first of the last graduates from this school to leave. Sawa bowed politely as she was handed two folders.

She exited the room bowing once again, and then exhaled like she'd never done before. Wakana, Wien and... Taichi were all waiting for both of them outside the room, all wearing sad faces. Wien, manly as ever was on the verge of tears as well.

This was the last day that Sawa was going to come to school. The rest had 1 month left on their semesters, but Sawa... Sawa was leaving. Both folders in her hands were proof of that. She would graduate with the rest of the group, the marks didn't really matter. Not to her anyways, and not to her parents and much less to her friends.

The group got out of school under utter silence, just their steps being heard. Was this sadness? Pity? Anger? Apathy? She turned around and looked at her school. She knew it by heart. She knew exactly how it would look at this time of day, she knew everything about it. It was her home.

A few tears came out. But not hers. The petite blonde sniffed and tried to conceal it, but everyone else felt the same way. No one would think less of Konatsu, not today. Sawa embraced the little girl, and everyone else did the same. A big group hug.

Taichi was across from Sawa, but both avoided each other's gaze. It was for the best really.

Sawa looked down. "Konatsu... I told you not to cry" unable to hold herself any longer. "I told you not to cry..."

Konatsu couldn't even make a coherent sound.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Sawa, do you need these shorts?"

"Mom, for the last time." She dropped her bundle of shirts on the bed "I know what I'm doing!" She started stuffing things into her bag rather irritably. She remembered that she had left a pair of boots somewhere around here, but she couldn't for the love of Sabure find them. And they were her favorite boots as well.

"Mom! Have you seen my boots?" She eventually yelled down the hall

"I'm washing them! You might as well fly with them!"

"Thanks!" She called back. Her bags were done three days ago, but she kept taking things in and then putting them back in. She wanted to make sure that she had everything she needed when she made her way to the unknown... It wasn't really the unknown that scared her, but being alone. She'd always had someone to rely on, be it her mother, her father... even Sabure. Sabure had been a good friend to her. Say what you will, she loved that horse.

Sawa made her way outside and into the stables where Sabure was kept. It was quietly sleeping, a sight she was more than used to. She leaned on the wall and looked at the sleeping horse from afar, letting it sleep peacefully. Truth was that she was scared out of herself, and the only thing that could bring her back to some sort of peace was this.

"Sabure... I'm going to be riding other horses for a while..." She at the horse sleeping quietly "If you can hear me, tomorrow I will only be able to say a quick goodbye to you... I just wanted to say that you're the best horse a girl could ask for." She sighed and made her way over to Sabure's fence. "I won't be seeing you for a while... I know that you are not good with the others, but please try to be good"

Sabure grunted, which made Sawa laugh.

"If you were listening you might as well have said it..." She looked to the side when something caught her eye. That was where Taichi was leaning. Soon her face went all red and her hands started shaking a bit as she recalled that day. A smile got on her face. "Who would have thought it'd end this way... everything"

Just a year ago she was entering school normally, thinking about getting better with Sabure, going to school, talking to Konatsu... maybe a do a few things here and there... Get a boyfriend... enroll in university. How off could she had been?

"Well it's not that off..." Remembering Taichi made her go all red, but since no one was really seeing her... "Say... I never really got to give him that letter..." Knowing herself, she wouldn't give him the letter personally. A letter is not meant to be given personally anyways, she told herself. She went back into her house thinking of how she could give-

She rushed back to her room and threw her bag aside once she grabbed the letter and a pencil. Running back to the stable, she had a great idea. She threw the letter under some hay and wrote Taichi on the wall, a small arrow pointing downward. Her mother wouldn't come in here often, and if her father came in he would honestly miss it unless he was looking for it specifically. Now... the problem was getting this letter to him. Or having him get it.

That would have to wait... she had enough time to ponder it in her sleep.

Which of course, she wouldn't be able to get. Her mind took it a priority to give Sawa a movie of her life, as it started replaying her life here in this town. She remembered how she met Konatsu, the little girl. She let out a small laugh. "Honestly..."

It was at night on the beach, Sawa was just 11 as she was going around in a bicicle coming back from a friend's house when she spotted a petite figure staring out into the sea. Konatsu was still wearing her school uniform and she was singing to the sea. Sawa laughed as she stopped and honestly rubbed her eyes. Getting down to the beach and approaching the girl, she realized that she also knew the song. Why not, she told herself, and started singing as well.

The girl was startled but kept singing. It was the start of her friendship.

Wakana... she'd only met her this year together with the rest, and Sawa knew that she wasn't a bad person at all. Just a little introverted... okay, maybe a bit too much. But she got along fine after a few weeks. I'll always remember the day Konatsu and I had to sing in front of an auditorium and Wakana helped us with the piano.

Wien, was a very good friend. Too bad she couldn't get to know him better. She was sure that he was a very good person as well, not only a good friend. She'd try to stay in contact with him.

Taichi. If Sawa didn't see something coming was a relationship like that this year. Granted, he is somewhat of a dork, but a lovable dork. She wasn't really expecting anything, to happen but it did. It was all in a rush and she didn't want it to be that way, but circumstances happened. She wouldn't regret it though, at least she hoped so.

Sabure... Would always be in her heart. Of course, it's not a final goodbye. She was doing this so she could be with Sabure forever. The little thing was so adorable when it was little and now if Sawa wasn't around he'd be a bit... cranky. Sabure developed some sort of crush on Sawa, as it grew to like her more than the rest of the family. Her friends had to be careful around Sabure because without Sawa he'd be a bit cranky on them. "I have to remember to warn them..."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Sawa got off the cab after her mother. She saw two other cabs pull up behind them dropping the rest of the group. Surprisingly no one wore a sad face. All the sadness was already gone. Only smiles. It was kind of an anti-climax that everyone was smiling... but perhaps it was for the best.

Sawa wouldn't have been able to do it had everyone been sad. But everyone was happy. This was actually for her. They were just sad because they wouldn't see her for a while, but they were extremely happy because she was doing something that was calling for her. She had to do this for her future, and for them it was just the path she had chosen and they had to be with her at this time.

She had already done the check in and after they all had a small tea/coffee... it was finally time to say goodbye. Sawa was walking towards passport control when she halted... the moment had come.

She turned around. She hadn't halted because she wanted to. Konatsu had grabbed her clothing looking at the floor. She knew her well enough to know that her eyes were full of tears already...

"Sawaaa!" She cried and threw herself on Sawa who smiled apologetically as she stroked her hair. She looked up and saw Wakana wearing a smile but tears threatening to leave her as well. However she kept her distance. This moment was for the two of them alone.

"Take care, Sawa." As strong a voice as a teary girl can do... but those words dripped honey. She really meant it. Sawa nodded and told her to take care as well. Wien was also on the verge of tears and looked to the duo of girls with a smile.

Taichi on the other hand was looking to the side, hands on his pockets, trying not to show weakness. Wakana walked over to Konatsu and told her it was time, as she placed a hand on her arm... saying that it was really time to let go.

The little girl was really a kid, but she loved her. She looked at Wakana and thanked her mentally before waving a few last words at her parents. She turned around and started walking a sad expression hidden from the rest of the group.

"Sawa!"

A manly voice called out to her. She tried to compose herself as much as possible before turning around slowly to face Taichi. He looked decisive... the same as that day.

"Sawa... I just wanted to say... That it was really fun knowing you... and that I'll wait for you to get back." A hint of red showing up on his cheeks as she started saying this, he couldn't even look at her in the eye.

Sawa was sad. She knew that this was exactly why she didn't want anything to happen between them... as a bit of red came to her as she remembered the little memory she would treasure from him. But now wasn't the time to be sad. Not in this last moment they'd see each other for a while.

"It was really fun to know you... I'll just focus on my studies to be a jockey, so don't worry" She said with a smile.

Taichi's face just reflected his shock to hear this. She just hoped it was enough as she turned around and raised an arm, without looking, and started waving it, telling the group goodbye without looking at them. She honestly didn't want to look at them any more. Not with those sad faces. It'd be much easier to turn around and hug them all... but she was doing this for herself, and everyone was helping her achieve this.

Instead, she started humming the song that they had all created. She had really liked the song, and the rest of the group would be with her as long as she didn't forget them.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

**Author's;Notes: And this concludes my work! I hope that you enjoyed this little trip I took through Tari Tari. I really loved this anime, it was heartwarming... and in this age of cold hearts we can always use a bit more heartwarming moments.**

**I just want to say thanks to everyone who read this far, and I hope you'll stick with me through my other works!**

**Also, for extra impact, go and listen to the Tari Tari ending right now. It'll put a smile on your face.**

**Arturia Polaris**


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